Brake-beam



Patented June 26 :(No Model.)

C. T. SCHOEN. ABRAKE BEAM. No. 522,032.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. SCHOEN, OF ALLEGHENY,y PENNSYLVANIA.

BRAKE-BEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 522,032, dated June 26, 1894.

Application filed March 1, 1894.-. SerialNo. 501,948. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. SonoEN, a citizenof the United States, residing atAllegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have inventeda lcertain new and useful Improvement in Brake-Beams, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to produce a metal brake-beam of great strength and durability, of very simple and economical construction, and of equal efficiency with those brake-beams heretofore made of metal in complex manner.

In practicing my invention, I strike up or bend from fiat sheet or plate metal, such as soft or mild steel, a laterally flanged doublewedge shaped body, thereby combining in one body the usually separated tension and compression members; shear Yoff the ends so as to present parallel lines to receive the brake-shoe heads, and apply to the center, knee-pieces to receive the brake-lever.

Having thus stated the principle of my invention, I will describe the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that Y principle and then will particularly point out and distinctly claim the part orimprovement which I claim as my invention.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a plan view; Fig. 2 a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is a section taken in the plane of line 3-3 Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. l.tis a section taken in the plane of line 4 4: Figs. 1 and 2, and Fig. 5 is a section taken in the plane of line 5-5 Figs. 1 and 2.

The body a of the beam is formed in any suitable manner from wrought metal, such as sheet or plate softer mild steel, by means of dies or die-presses, or otherwise. The metal is taken in the form of a rectangular blank, and its longitudinal edges bent at right angles to the body to form flanges b, b', and to make a gure resembling in outline a double pointed wedge, truncated at its ends. The outer ends of the anges are sheared off as at h2 parallel with the surface of the body, and these parallel ends serve to receive the brakeshoe-heads c, which latter may be of any apg, g vare'reversed knee-pieces applied to vthe body of the beam onopposite sides of an opening h therein to receive the brake-lever. The knee-piece g is bolted or riveted to the beam between two parallel countersunk ribs ,12, and the knee-piece g is likewise bolted or riveted to the beam within a pocket lo pressed up from the bottom of the beam, the walls of the said pocket and the ribs fi, i, serving to take the strain off ofthe rivets or bolts and prevent the shearing off of their heads. The knee-pieces are provided with holes Z, Z, to receive the lever connecting bolt, not shown. In this construction, the flange b would correspond infunction with the ordinary compression member and the ange b with the tensile member, and the main body a would represent a continuous and unbroken truss or strut between these members. My experience leads me to believe, however, that this solid, one-piece beam is better than a truss-beam, because it is not affected at all by the constant and violent shaking to which a beam is subjected in use, neither is it affected by the torsional and direct strains to which it is subjected. Moreover,'the beam lmay be made with the utmost economy. It is quite as strong as a truss-beam,very much lighter and much less costly.

What I claim is-.-

l. A brake-beam made of a single piece of metal, of double-ended-wedge-'shape and provided with side flanges, substantially as described.

2. A brake-beam made of a single piece-of metal, widest at the middle and tapering toward its ends, havingV edge lianges terminatingin lines parallel with the body of the beam and adapted toreceive the brake-shoeheads, substantially as described. Y

3. A brake-beam vof metal having attached knee-pieces to receive the brake-lever, ribs IOO between which one of such knee-pieces is reheads and beam and tubular stay-pieces ar- :o

eeived, and a pocket within which the other knee-piece is arranged, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a brake beam made of asingle piece of metal, Widest at the mid.` die and tapering toward its ends and having edge anges terminating in parallel portions, brake shoe -heads, bolts to unite the shoe ranged between the parallel fianges and receiving the bolts, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of February, A. D. 1894.

CHARLES T. SCHOEN.

Vitnesses:

G. WHITNEY Woon, GEO. E. FOX. 

